We’ve had this boring metal plant stand for a long time, and she’s served us well for many years. But like so many other things around here she was beginning to look a little worn and faded ;-)

A few weeks ago we bought a whole bunch of old tin ceiling tiles on facebook and I must admit when they arrived I was pleasantly surprised with how many we actually got for the price we paid. But they were really rusty and needed a lot of work before we could use them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love things that are old and rusty. We’ve even gone so far as to “rustify” brand new metal to look old. But these tiles were really, really rusty. And so they lay forlornly in our back courtyard until inspiration struck and the metal plant stand got the makeover of the century.

Just WOW!!!!! We’ve made quite a few things that are really close to my heart. Our suitcase dresser still makes me smile every morning when I get dressed and the little “HOME” shelf has a few more special trinkets that have been added over the years. But this tin ceiling makeover has now taken over the no.1 spot. Just imagine seeing this when you walk out the backdoor.

The way the tin ceiling tiles seem to create a frame around the succulents makes my heart do a happy dance. They make the perfect backdrop for our succulents collection.

I think I’m in love ;-)

Okay, but you didn’t come to visit to hear me gushing about our tin ceiling plant stand ;-) So let me show you quickly how we transformed the old metal one. I’ll also be sharing three ways to clean and prep tin ceiling tiles for craft and DIY projects.
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How To Transform a Metal Plant Stand with Tin Ceiling Tiles
Getting the Plant Stand Ready
Although the frame of the old metal plant stand was not quite straight it was still solid. There were some rust spots and the old paint had started to peel away, so we removed the loose rust and paint with a wire brush and gave it a light sanding to smooth it all out.

The stand was wiped down with a degreaser to get rid of any dust and oily residue first before giving her a three coats of black primer. She’ll be exposed to the elements, so primer is essential to protect her against rust and corrosion.

To make a new top for the plant stand we cut a few pallets to size and then we could get cracking on cleaning up those rusty tin ceiling tiles.
3 Ways to Clean and Prep Old Tin Ceiling Tiles
Just a heads up, cleaning old, rusty tin ceiling tiles is hard work and it’s a messy business. It took us the whole weekend to prep and clean these. But it’s totally worth it. Please wear protective gear. Most old tiles were painted with lead paint back in the day.
Oven Cleaner
Good old oven cleaner. We use it for so many things. It removes gooey glue, it’s great for cleaning oil marks on concrete and it’s a cheap alternative to paint strippers. Just spray the oven cleaner on and let it sit for a few minutes.

Scrub the paint with a wire brush and remember to wear gloves.

The above photo is after the first application. Depending on how many layers of paint there are you may need to apply more oven cleaner and repeat. On this specific ceiling tile, we had to do it three times. The great thing about using an oven cleaner is the control you have around how much paint you want to keep. Here’s a before and after of the same tile.

It even removes the rust ;-) Wipe the ceiling tiles with vinegar to neutralize the oven cleaner, and then rinse them off with clean water. Allow the ceiling tiles to dry thoroughly before sealing or repainting.
Sanding and Blasting
If you’re not too fussy about how much paint does, or doesn’t, get removed, a quick and dirty way of preparing and cleaning the tiles is to use a sandblast gun, compressor and a bucket full of sand. Protective eyewear, long sleeves, gloves, and a mask are a MUST. In fact, just put full-body armor on, it’s probably easier :D That sand gets everywhere.

Insert the one end of the sandblaster into the bucket of fine sand and spray away.

It’s a little quicker than oven cleaner, but it doesn’t remove all the paint, just smoothes it out so it won’t peel off.
Bang, Smack, and Scrape
This is my favorite method. It so satisfying banging, smacking, and scraping those tiles :D Bang and smack the tiles with the back end of a paint scraper or screwdriver to get the loose paint off. Depending on how old the paint is, it will come off in chunks. The rest can be scraped off with the sharp end of your tool of choice. You can also leave some of that old paint on the tile after smacking and make this beautiful multi-purpose framed ceiling tile.

For stubborn paint bits use a wire brush and a little elbow grease :D
Every old ceiling tile is different so choose the method that works for you. To remove most of the paint use oven cleaner like we did when we made our recycled birdhouse. If you want to keep some of the old paint and don’t mind getting sand in your crack everywhere, use the sandblaster. Or if you like banging things around, go for the bang, smack and scrape approach. For the plant stand, I wanted to retain some of the “history” of the tiles and I loved the layers of interest the paint created so bang, smack, and scrape it was.
If you break down the ceiling, nothing can hold your dreams back.

Whatever method you use, make sure to seal the tiles after cleaning with a clear, protective sealer to protect them and prevent further rust.

We applied multiple coats of Rust-Oleum, clear Satin. I want these beauties to last for at least another 1/2 century.

Alrighty then. Now that the tin ceiling tiles have been cleaned and sealed, we can add them to the plant stand and take it to the next level.
Adding the ceiling tiles to the plant stand
To attach the ceiling tiles we flipped the plant stand on its side over and cut the tiles using tin snips so they would fit neatly.

We drilled small holes in the tiles and used baling wire to attach them to the frame of the metal plant stand.

The back of the tiles got two more coats of sealer and our beautiful, gorgeous, stupendously awesome tin ceiling plant stand was ready for a succu-licious display.

Oops, sorry I promised to stop gushing. But I can’t. Look how beautifully it compliments those succulents.

One more.

Okay, I’m going to stop now, but if you like the idea, don’t forget to pin it for later.

Oh and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you ;-)
And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then maybe these beauties will appeal.
Until next time, stay crafty and always see the beauty in everything.

22 comments
It truly a work of Art. You both put in the.hard.work
Thank you very much, Mary. I’m still so happy with how it turned out.
This is amazing, Michelle! Pinned it all like crazy;) Vintage ceiling tin is one of my favorite things; it adds the wow to anything you make with it! Great tips for cleaning it up, too! I’d be happy looking at it everyday, too! Especially filled with succulents; the perfect textural compliment!
? So happy you like it Lora. You’re the queen of turning found objects into something amazing for the garden
The patina on this is gorgeous, all the different hues make it mesmerizing.
Aren’t they just lovely and I’m over the moon with how the plant stand turned out. I suspect that those tin ceiling tiles are going to featuring in a lot of our DIYs in future ?
Michelle,
This is truly amazing!! Love the use of the tiles. I could kick myself now because there was a pop up antique store about a year ago in the mall right by me and they had different styles and sizes of ceiling tiles that were actually removed from old buildings. I meant to go and buy a few but they closed shop before I could do so….I could cry about it now!! LOL!! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words!!
Hugs,
Debbie
How I wish we stayed closer Debbie so I could bring a few of ours around for you and give you a big, fat hug too ? You are one special lady and I’m so glad we met, even if it’s only in a virtual world. Stay safe my friend and look after yourself and that knee of yours
This is an incredible makeover! Love love love the transformation!
Thank you so much Audra, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me seeing our succulents showcased on that plant stand
Girl, don’t ever stop gushing over your amazing plant stand. I would do a happy dance every time I looked at it. My word, it’s gorgeous! At one of our local building salvage yards, they have an amazing potting bench that they made from salvaged lumber and old ceiling tiles. It’s not for sale as they use it as a display but every visit I just stand there admiring it. Yours reminds me of it!
P.S. If I ever achieve my bucket list goal to visit, I strongly suggest you chain this down, cuz imma gonna bring it home with me ;)
Yay!!!!!!! I’m gonna keep the chains off of this one until you come for that visit my friend. Maybe it will be an incentive for you to move a trip to South Africa to the top of your bucket list ?
Your plant stand is beautiful! I would love to get ahold of some old ceiling tiles like that. But they are pricey. Not sure what I would do with them but want some. Lol
I’ve never liked oven cleaner, and now I can’t image ever using it again. Lol! If it removes paint then it doesn’t seem like it should go in the oven where we cook our food.
I know right. Oven cleaner is scary stuff and I’m not a big fan of using it in our oven either. Hot water and dish soap seems like a much safer bet when it comes to cleaning the oven. Hope you find some ceiling tiles. If we stayed closer I would ship a few of our to you with love. We were lucky to find this batch on Facebook marketplace. And the lady we bought them from was kind enough to drive quite a distance to deliver them to us too.
The rust look amazingly beautiful! Grand idea! You’re an artist!
Isn’t it just so cool. I’m loving the fact that the paint and rust still lives on to tell another story
Oh Michelle I hope you never stop gushing. They really cleaned up nicely and they make the perfect backdrop for your gorgeous plants. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.
Now tell me how often should I be watering succulents? If you know me I am capable of killing even those.
? This one’s a keeper Mary and I hope it lasts for a long time too. We’ll probably treat her once a year with a protective coat just to make sure.
WRT to keeping the succulents alive, mother nature takes care of these ones on the plant stand ? but if you’d like to add them to your home decor they love lots of light and not being over watered. Let the soil dry out between watering and keep them away from an aircon. They don’t those things. Oh and make sure there’s drainage holes in the planter. I see so many succulents being sold in containers with no drainage.
Thanks for the tips Michelle. I got one for Mother’s Day and I need to check for drainage.
I’m sure your little succulent will do well Mary. She’s stayig in a home that’s filled with love
Amazing creation, Michelle and a gorgeous idea. Really inspiring project. Hugs, my friend.
Thank you so much Mia, you’re always so supportive ?